Coreopsis plant named &#39;URITW03&#39;

ABSTRACT

A new cultivar of hybrid  Coreopsis  plant named, ‘URITW03’, that is characterized by its small inflorescences with ray florets that are light red in color with a darker red-purple base, its dwarf plant habit, and its involucral bracts that are small in size and ovate to oblong in shape.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is co-pending with U.S. Plant Patent Applications filed for plants derived from the same breeding program that are entitled Coreopsis Plant Named ‘URITWO1’ (U.S. Plant Patent Application pending)* and Coreopsis Plant Named ‘URITWO2’ (U.S. Plant Patent Application pending)*. * Applicant gives the examiner the authority to replace U.S. Plant Patent Application pending with an Application No. or Patent No. if applicable and delete this statement.

Botanical classification: Coreopsis rosea×Coreopsis verticillata.

Variety denomination: ‘URITW03. ’

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Coreopsis plant, botanically of hybrid origin and known as Coreopsis ‘URITW03’ and will be referred to hereinafter by its cultivar name, ‘URITW03’. The new cultivar of Coreopsis is an herbaceous perennial grown for landscape and container use.

The new invention arose from an ongoing controlled breeding program in Icheon-si, Korea. The objective of the breeding program is to develop hybrid cultivars of Coreopsis with unique flower colors and dwarf plant habit.

The new cultivar arose as a mutation using gamma radiation of un-rooted cuttings of ‘URITW03’ in January of 2011. ‘URITW03’ was selected in September 2011 as a single unique plant amongst the resulting seedlings.

Asexual propagation of the new cultivar was first accomplished by stem cuttings by the Inventor in Icheon-si, Korea in September of 2011. Asexual propagation by stem cuttings has determined that the characteristics of the new cultivar are stable and are reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and represent the characteristics of the new cultivar. These attributes in combination distinguish ‘URITW03’ as unique cultivar of Coreopsis.

1. ‘URITW03’ exhibits small inflorescences with ray florets that are light red in color with a darker red-purple base.

2. ‘URITW03’ exhibits a dwarf plant habit.

3. ‘URITW03’ exhibits involucral bracts that are small in size and ovate to oblong in shape.

The parent plant of ‘URITW03’, ‘URITWO1’ differs from ‘URITW03’ in having flowers that are darker crimson red in color. ‘URITW03’ can be compared to the Coreopsis cultivars ‘Limerock Ruby’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 15,455) and ‘URITWO2’. ‘Limerock Ruby’ differs from ‘URITW03’ in having a plant height that is 50% taller, in having a wider plant spread, and in having inflorescences that are larger in size with ray florets that are crimson red in color. ‘URITWO2’ differs from ‘URITW03’ in having inflorescences with ray florets that are pink in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance and distinct characteristics of the new Coreopsis. The photographs were taken of a 3 month-old plant of ‘URITW03’ as grown outdoors in a 13-cm container in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The photograph in FIG. 1 provides a side view of a plant of ‘URITW03’ in bloom. The photograph in FIG. 2 provides a close-up view of the inflorescences of ‘URITW03’. The photograph in FIG. 3 provides a close-up view of a leaf of ‘URITW03’. The colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description, which accurately describe the colors of the new Coreopsis.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The following is a detailed description of 3 month-old plants of the new cultivar as grown outdoors in 13-cm containers in Boskoop, The Netherlands. The phenotype of the new cultivar may vary with variations in environmental, climatic, and cultural conditions, as it has not been tested under all possible environmental conditions. The color determination is in accordance with the 2007 R.H.S. Colour Chart of the Royal Horticultural Society, London, England, except where general color terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   General description:     -   -   Blooming period.—Early summer to late summer in The             Netherlands.         -   Plant type.—Herbaceous perennial.         -   Plant habit.—Dwarf and upright.         -   Height and spread.—An average of 20.7 cm in height and 20.0             cm in width.         -   Cold hardiness.—At least to U.S.D.A Zone 4.         -   Diseases and pests.—No susceptibility or resistance to             diseases or pests has been observed.         -   Root description.—Fibrous when young, becoming fleshy with             age, 162D in color.         -   Propagation.—Stem cuttings.         -   Root development.—An average of 10 days for root initiation             and about 5 weeks to produce a young rooted plant in a 10-cm             container.         -   Growth rate.—Moderate. -   Stem description:     -   -   Shape.—Rounded.         -   Stem color.—143B.         -   Stem size.—An average of 7 cm in length (excluding             inflorescence) and 1.75 mm in diameter.         -   Stem surface.—Glabrous and glossy.         -   Stem aspect.—Upward and slightly outward.         -   Stem strength.—Strong.         -   Branching habit.—Well-branched, an average of 48 lateral             branches.         -   Internode length.—An average of 2.3 cm. -   Foliage description:     -   -   Leaf division.—Simple.         -   Leaf margins.—Entire.         -   Leaf size.—An average of 4.3 cm in length and 3.5 mm in             width.         -   Leaf shape.—Narrow lanceolate.         -   Leaf base.—Narrow cuneate.         -   Leaf apex.—Acute.         -   Leaf venation.—Pinnate, color; upper surface 137B and lower             surface 144A.         -   Leaf attachment.—Sessile.         -   Leaf arrangement.—Opposite.         -   Leaf surface.—Both surfaces dull and glabrous.         -   Leaf color.—Young upper surface; 143A, mature upper surface;             a blend between 137B and 143A, young and mature lower             surface; 143B.         -   Leaf number.—An average of 8 leaves (4 pairs) per stem. -   Inflorescence description:     -   -   Inflorescence type.—Terminal capitulate, with a single row             of ray florets surrounding disk florets in the center.         -   Lastingness of inflorescence.—An average of 3 weeks,             self-cleaning.         -   Fragrance.—Moderate to faint, of musk and straw.         -   Quantity of inflorescences.—An average of 1 per lateral             branch.         -   Inflorescence size.—An average of 2 cm in diameter and 6 mm             in height, disk portion an average of 6 mm in diameter.         -   Inflorescence buds.—An average of 4 mm in depth and             diameter, globular in shape, color; 147B with apex 153C and             longitudinal stripes 187A.         -   Peduncle.—An average of 5.8 cm in length and 1 mm in width,             held straight upright, slightly glossy and glabrous on all             surfaces, 144B in color and moderately strong. -   Involucral bracts:     -   -   Bract number.—Two rows, an average of 8 (inner row) and 6             (outer row).         -   Bract arrangement.—Rotate, placed in two separate rows.         -   Bract size.—Outer bracts; an average of 2 mm in length and             1.5 mm in width, inner bracts; an average of 5 mm in length             and 3 mm in width.         -   Bract color.—Inner bracts; 152D suffused with 26A with base             146A and outer bracts; 143A.         -   Bract texture.—Glabrous and slightly glossy on upper and             lower surfaces of outer and inner bracts.         -   Bract apex.—Outer bracts; obtuse and inner bracts; acute.         -   Bract base.—Broadly cuneate on inner and outer bracts.         -   Bract margins.—Entire.         -   Bract shape.—Outer bracts; ovate to oblong, inner bracts;             ovate. -   Ray florets (sterile):     -   -   Number—An average of 8 arranged primarily in one row.         -   Shape.—Obovate.         -   Size.—An average of 8 cm in length and 5 mm in width.         -   Apex.—Irregularly lobed with an average of 3 acute lobes,             lobes are bluntly acute and center lobe is about 1 mm longer             than the lateral lobes.         -   Base.—Rounded.         -   Margins.—Entire with apex lobed.         -   Aspect.—Held horizontal to slightly upward.         -   Texture.—Glabrous and velvety on both surfaces, outer             surface is slightly carinate.         -   Color.—Upper surface when opening; 53A with apex fading to             26B, lower surface when opening; 22C, upper surface when             fully open; 53A to 53B fading to a blend between 183A and             187A to 187B at the base, lower surface when fully open;             26C, color fades to 53C with 53A towards the base. -   Disk flowers (perfect):     -   -   Shape.—Tubular, spirally arranged on disc.         -   Apex.—Acute.         -   Base.—Lower 75% fused into tube.         -   Number.—About 40.         -   Size.—An average of 4 mm in length and 1 mm in width at the             apex and 0.4 mm in width at the base.         -   Color.—En masse; 178C, corolla; 6D with base of tube 6C in             color, flared portion is 178C.         -   Receptacle.—An average of 1.5 mm in diameter and 1 mm depth,             143C in color. -   Reproductive organs:     -   -   Presence.—Disk flowers are perfect, ray flowers are sterile.         -   Gynoecium.—1 pistil, an average of 2.5 mm in length, style;             an average of 1.5 mm in length and 16A in color, stigma is             decurrent and 21A to 21B in color, ovary is 150D in color.         -   Androcoecium.—5 stamens, anther; basifixed and linear in             shape, an average of 1 mm in length and 203D in color,             pollen is low in quantity and 17B in color.         -   Fruit/seed.—No fruit or seed development was observed. 

It is claimed: 1: A new and distinct cultivar of Coreopsis plant named ‘URITW03’ as herein illustrated and described. 